One Of Those Days
by galabad
Summary: *Chapter 3 added* A day in the life of a Pilot Candidate
1. Getting Snippy

The main character of this story is an original character created by me for the Megami Kouhosei online RPG (http://www.geocities.com/megamikouhoseirpg). Koushou Araigami is another original RPG character created by Underlord Backlash.   
Special thanks go to Underlord Backlash for letting me use his character and to Kay Willow for getting me interested enough in MK to actually write something about it.  
  
  
  
One Of Those Days  
  
Part 1 - Getting Snippy  
  
The whole freakin' world's against me, I swear to God.  
  
What put me in such a good mood? I'm glad you asked.  
  
Let's go back to yesterday morning, shall we? It actually started out to be a decent day. The instructor gave my class a day off from practice, and I had a full schedule of goofing off and general slacking planned: catch up on my reading, hang out in the rec room, scope out some Repairers, you know the deal. Yes sir, it was going to be a good day for ol' Alex. What could possibly go wrong?  
  
Life lesson number 1: never ask what could possibly go wrong.  
  
I noticed that I was looking a bit scraggly, so I decided to pay a visit to Koushou Araigami. He's a bit of a neat freak, but he's a good guy and handy with a pair of scissors. He was straightening out some wrinkles in his uniform when he noticed me standing at the door of the decontamination center. "Hey, number 94, come on in!" he said with a slightly disturbing smile. "What can I do for you?"  
  
I suddenly felt a bit uneasy. "I could use a trim, if you've got the time."  
  
"Absolutely! Just have a seat." I set down on an armchair in the corner of the room as he gathered up the tools of his trade. "Going to check out some girls today, huh?" he asked with a wink.  
  
"Yup. Figured I'd better clean up a little first."  
  
"Always a good idea," he replied in his usual sunny manner. "How do you want it done?"  
  
"Just trim it a little."  
  
"How about a spiked cut? It's all the rage these days."  
  
"Just a little off the top, thanks."  
  
"How about a mysterious, over-the-eye flip?" he asked, gesturing towards his own brown hair which covered almost half of his face. "The ladies love it, you know."  
  
"Tempting, but just shorten it up, please." I sat back and closed my eyes. Might as well catch a few Z's while I waited.  
  
"You're the victi...er...boss." He positioned himself behind the chair, threw a cloth over me, and started snipping away. "Nice day for girlwatching, you know. And G.O.A.'s full of cuties! Why, just the other day I was walking to practice and I saw this AMAZING girl...."  
  
Now, normally I'm ready to make small talk, but not when I'm trying to get some beauty sleep. I decided to let Koushou know in a polite, considerate manner that I would appreciate some quiet as he lowered my ears.  
  
"Hey, Sergio. Less lip, more snip."  
  
Well, it worked, Koushou got quiet. Very quiet. One might say frighteningly quiet. Suddenly I heard a loud buzz and felt cold metal slide across my scalp from the back of my head to the hairline. I opened my eyes in time to see a flurry of black hair float past my face on its way to the deck. "Oops," Koushou uttered in a manner that did not seem at all apologetic.   
  
Slowly I turned to face the mirror, and was greeted by a reflection of myself, now sporting a trench running through the center of my hair. Koushou stood smirking next to me, an electric razor in his hand. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, the public address system boomed, "Pilot and Repairer Candidates number 25 through 29 report to Pro-Ing practice immediately. Repeat, Pilot and Repairer Candidates number 25 through 29 report to Pro-Ing practice."  
  
"That's me," the senior Candidate said, running towards the hall. He stopped at the door and looked back at me, his sympathetic nature getting the better of him. "Come back tomorrow and I'll fix that up for you. Good luck with the girls!" With that, he snickered and took off.  
  
Life lesson number 2: never tick off the barber. 


	2. 'Dos and Dont's

Part 2 - 'Dos and Dont's  
  
So there I stood, alone in the decon room with a reverse mohawk. There was no telling how long it might take for another barber to show up, so I decided to try and sneak out to my quarters. If I could get there without being seen and find some way to cover up my new 'do, the day might not be a total loss. I crept as stealthily as I could through the pristine white halls of G.O.A., ducking into doorways and around corners whenever I heard someone approaching. Before I knew it, only one hall separated me from my goal. It seemed like everything was going my way. I peered around the corner to make sure the coast was clear, then started to run silently down the corridor. Just as I reached the halfway point, a door to my left slid open with a whisper. I had been discovered.  
  
"Well, well, what have we here?" the purple-haired Candidate jeered. He defiantly strode out of his cabin to directly block my path, the fact that he only came up to my chest not bothering him in the least. Yamagi has nads, I'll give him that.  
  
I tried to evade to one side but he matched my movement, determined not to let me pass. "I'm in a hurry, Kushida. What do you want?"  
  
"I want to know what a 90s series Candidate is doing in the 80s hall," he sneered.  
  
I scowled down at the smaller boy. "Are you kidding me? Look chibi, I'm not exactly in the best mood right now and the last thing I want to do is stand here playing turf war with a two-thirds scale model of a Candidate. Why don't you let me go do what I have to and we'll finish this discussion later, assuming your attention span isn't as short as you are."  
  
Yamagi's face turned bright red as he balled his hands into fists. "Why you lousy...."  
  
"Whoa, whoa, easy junior!" I said with a grin. "I'm just messing with you." I gave his shoulder a light shove with my fist to show that I was only teasing.  
  
"Well, I'll let it slide this time, Hartmann." He lowered his guard and took on a more personable manner. "So what's got you so ticked?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot you can't see the top of my head," I chided. I tilted my head forward to show off the divot shaved into my hair. "I wanted a little off the top, but not that much."  
  
"Actually, it looks quite interesting," chimed in a new voice from behind me. I spun around in time to see Clay Fortran adjust his glasses. Maybe where he comes from it's customary to adjust your specs with that finger, but I have to suppress an urge to punch him in the nose each time I see it. "If you're not careful, you may even start a new trend."  
  
"Great, a comedian," I replied. "I'm glad you find my misfortune so entertaining."  
  
"No offense intended, Alex-san. I simply meant...."  
  
Clay was interrupted by a brown-haired boy who emerged from the same room with a deafening yawn. "Hey, what's all the commotion out here? It's getting so a guy can't sleep in peace any more."  
  
"It's nearly mealtime, Zero," said a slightly perturbed Clay. "You shouldn't be sleeping anyway."  
  
"Mealtime, huh? Sounds good! I could use a...." He stopped short and blinked when he noticed me. "Number 94? What are you doing here? And what happened to your hair?" He pointed a finger at my scalp and threw back his head in hysterical laughter.  
  
This was getting very old very quickly. "Yeah, yeah, it's a regular riot," I snorted. "Now if you mooks will excuse me, I'm off to find something I can use to cover this up."  
  
"Hey, I may be able to help you out!" Zero snapped his fingers and ran back into his cabin, emerging a few seconds later with a regulation G.O.A. cap. "Kizna left one of her hats here. You can borrow it to cover up the...um...accident," he chuckled.  
  
"Looks like your luck's improving, Alex," Yamagi said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Not only can you hide your new hairdo with that, it even belongs to Kizna!"  
  
I could feel a warmth wash over me as my mouth went dry. "What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.  
  
"What do you mean what does it mean? Everyone knows you have a thing for her."  
  
I contorted my face into my best I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about look. "Yeah, I have a crush on Kizna. Whatever." Apparently they didn't buy it.  
  
"Yamagi is correct," interjected Clay, once again straightening his glasses. Man, I hate that. "It's fairly common knowledge that you have a certain...fondness for Zero's partner."  
  
"Yeah, although I don't know what you see in her," Zero said. "Sure, she's a good Repairer, but she's awfully loud and bossy." He threw another glance at my head and started giggling anew.  
  
Though slightly annoyed at the laughter, I was pleasantly surprised by his thoughtfulness. "Well, thanks for the hat, Zero. At least someone here has a little decency. Now, let me get out of here before that albino Gner shows up. I don't think I can stomach that guy just now." With my immediate problem solved I donned the cap, said my goodbyes and headed off to find my partner.  
  
The Repairer Candidate quarters are laid out in the same pattern as ours, meaning I had to walk through the 80s hall in order to get to Keiko's cabin. I was just passing the door marked with the numbers 87 to 89 when I heard it swoosh open. A sweet, lilting voice from behind called to me. "Alex? Is that you?"  
  
I froze in my tracks, a sheen of sweat forming lightly on my pate. I swallowed hard and turned slowly around to see Kizna Towryk leaning against the open doorframe. Her perfect flashing smile and shimmering brown - almost violet in that light - eyes were framed by strikingly bright pink hair that flowed to her shoulders. What really caught my attention, though - when I could rip my eyes away from the cut-off uniform pants that exposed most of her right leg and thigh - were the catlike ears on the top of her head. When they moved and twitched in response to her changing moods, it was enough to make me melt.  
  
It took me a while to realize that she'd asked me a question.  
  
"Uh, yeah, it's me," I stammered.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you're here." I didn't think it possible, but her smile got even brighter.  
  
"You are?" My mind began to race.  
  
"Sure! Could you come inside for a minute? I need you." My head started to spin as she stepped - no, glided - back into her quarters. It took a conscious effort to get my feet to move.  
  
The door closed behind me as I followed Kizna into her cabin. A quick look around told me that we were alone, Saki and Ikhny having already left for the mess hall. I also noticed that the lights were down low, the only illumination coming from a lamp in one corner. The cat-eared girl turned to face me, one hand hidden behind her back. "Say, that's a nice hat," she said. "In fact, it looks a lot like the one I left...."  
  
"So, uh, what can I do for you?" I interrupted.  
  
"Oh, right. Like I said, it's lucky that you happened by when you did." She took a step closer to me and gently placed her visible hand on my shoulder. "I can really use you to do something for me. That is, if you don't mind...."  
  
"No," I squeaked, trying to keep my pounding heart from bursting through my chest. "I don't mind at all."  
  
"Good, good." She wrapped her arm around my waist and led me into the center of the room. "I have a big favor to ask."  
  
"Sure, name it." At that point, I would have agreed to just about anything.  
  
She brought her hidden arm around to her front and shoved a light bulb into my hand. "Could you put this in for me? I can't reach the light, and you're taller than I am."  
  
Ouch.  
  
"Uh, yeah, sure," I sighed. I screwed the bulb into its socket and the cabin was fully lit once again. "Anything else?" I inquired hopefully.  
  
"No, that's all. Thanks!" Without another word, she went about straightening up her quarters.  
  
"Sure," I said, slowly backing my way to the entrance. "Any time. Don't mention it." Back in the hallway I wiped the perspiration from my forehead, unsure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.  
  
Life lesson number 3: if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. 


	3. Good Times, Bad Food

Keiko Hayase is another original character created by me. Thanks to Kay for helping to come up with her name, and for providing inspiration.  
  
Part 3 - Good Times, Bad Food  
  
I knocked on the door to my partner's cabin before poking my head in. I found Keiko Hayase sitting on her bunk with her back against the wall, absentmindedly strumming her guitar.   
  
"Hey, Blue Eyes," I called. She looked up at me with a start, but never stopped playing.  
  
"You're late," she stated. "I was starting to worry that you'd fallen out of an airlock. Again."  
  
Oh jeez, here we go. "You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"  
  
"Nope," she snickered.  
  
"Figures. Anyway, I ran into some traffic on the way over. I'm surprised you didn't head to the mess hall without me."  
  
"You know I always wait for you," she replied, standing her instrument up in a corner. She stood up and shook her head from side to side, letting her dark hair fall down to her shoulders. She squinted at me suspiciously through her glasses. "Since when do you wear a hat?"  
  
"Since my haircut this morning didn't turn out quite right."  
  
"I see. You sassed the barber, didn't you?"  
  
I hate it when she jumps to conclusions about things. I hate it even more when she's right. "Well, uh…." Yeah, good defense there, Alex.  
  
My partner crossed her arms in front of her. "I bet he was just trying to make pleasant conversation and you upset him by telling him to shut up. Isn't that right?"  
  
"Yeah, but…."  
  
Keiko sighed. "I keep telling you that mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble."  
  
"But, but he…."  
  
Keiko walked over to me and grabbed my elbow, pulling me into the hallway. "Come on, I'm hungry."  
  
She relinquished her grip as we made our way to the galley. "Where did you get that cap, anyway? It looks like one of Kizna's."  
  
"Technically, all caps look like Kizna's," I pointed out. "They're standard issue. Although it just so happens that this one does belong to her."  
  
"Oh," Keiko cooed, shooting me a sideways glance. "So you managed to get her to lend you a hat? Aren't we quite the charmer?"  
  
"Yes we are," I modestly replied. "But Kizna didn't give it to me, your boyfriend did."  
  
"Excuse me?" Keiko asked, her expression turning from coy to quizzical.  
  
"Enna."  
  
"Zero is not my boyfriend."  
  
Now it was my turn to do the teasing. "He would be if you had your way."  
  
"Well, he is gorgeous!" Keiko beamed, "but he seems to be into someone else...."  
  
"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"  
  
Keiko's smile vanished. "I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't like to be with him, but if Zero's happy, I'm ok with it."  
  
I was regarding her with a mixture of surprise and admiration for her comment when we reached the mess hall. Most of the other Candidates assigned to eat at that time were already present. We took our places at the end of the short line and each picked up an empty tray. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully as I slid in front of the chef. "Let's see, now. I believe I'll have the lamb chops with mint jelly, a baked potato, some wild rice pilaf and a nice chocolate mousse for dessert."  
  
The chef dipped his ladle into an enormous pot covered with a sticky brown film. He scooped out a heaping mound of steaming muck and dumped it onto my tray with a sickening splat. "EAT!" he bellowed.  
  
I stared forlornly at the gooey mass in front of me and slowly nodded my head. "Close enough."  
  
Blue Eyes and I collapsed into two empty seats, suspiciously eyeing our entrees. Keiko's gaze traveled to and fro between our trays. "I'll trade you my green lumps for your orange lumps," she offered. I accepted and we carefully made the switch.   
  
"So how is our Pro-Ing doing?" I inquired, trying to put off shoveling the goop into my mouth.   
  
"I had to make some repairs last night after you put it through the paces in training. It got a little sticky at one point."  
  
"Really?" I asked. She absolutely loves going on about mecha, so I figured I'd give her an opportunity. Yes, I am a nice guy.  
  
Her eyes sparkled a bit as she envisioned the inner workings of the machine. "It was going well until the flat coil valve burner started smoking; the hydro pin springer spun off the manifold drive and I wound up having to bleed off the myomer gasket...."  
  
You know, I really appreciate that Keiko talks to me about the mechanics of our Pro-Ing as if I understood the subject, but the truth is that when she goes off on rants like this, my mind usually slips away to other things. Like pie. Boy, I love pie. Cherry pie, pumpkin pie, or hot apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Yeah, that's good stuff.  
  
"...had to reinstall the hydro coil and if that didn't work I would have had to shut down the whole system."  
  
I gave a slight start as Keiko's sudden silence jarred me back into reality. "Huh? Oh, sure, you'd have to shut it down. I mean you have no choice at that point."  
  
"Exactly," she grinned, and started stabbing at her meal with the unidentifiable plastic utensils with which we were provided. I had just resigned myself to dig in as well, when the public address system crackled to life.  
  
"Red alert, red alert! All hands, general quarters! First troop report to launch bay for immediate scramble, second and third troops report to ready room and stand by for launch. This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!" Before the voice had ceased everyone in the mess hall was on their feet and sprinting for the nearest exit.  
  
Life lesson number 4: there's no rest for the weary. 


End file.
